The beloved community-wide All-District music festival returns to the Conejo Valley after a two-year pandemic hiatus, but will look a little different than in years past. The 38th annual multi-night festival put on by the Conejo Schools Foundation and featuring band, strings, and chorus students from local Elementary, Middle, and High Schools normally fills the large Kavli Theatre in the Bank of America Performing Arts Center for eight separate concerts, hosting thousands of Conejo Valley families. This year the eight concerts will be held May 16-25 in five different venues throughout the district.
The Conejo Schools Foundation takes the lead on presenting this incredible community-wide event, but they are supported by the cooperative efforts of Conejo Valley Unified School District, and the Conejo Recreation and Park District who administer the elementary band, strings, and chorus programs throughout the district. Representatives from each agency have worked together to ensure students would have a meaningful and extraordinary musical experience. Now in its 38th year, this annual tradition endures as both an opportunity to showcase the musical talents and achievements of the youth of our community, and to inspire the younger performers to continue with their music studies and attain the level of excellence they will see in the High School performers. To inspire young musicians even further, the Sedalia Ragtime Orchestra, whose members are primarily retired professional musicians, will play as audience-goers exit the venues, offering a chance to enjoy what a lifetime of musical practice can sound like as well as an opportunity to donate to the non-profit Conejo Schools Foundation that hosts these events.
First up will be the Newbury Park Band track on Monday, May 16, which will feature performers from the elementary and middle schools that feed into Newbury Park High School sharing the stage with the NPHS Band outdoors in the NPHS football stadium.
Tuesday, May 17, Westlake High School Football Stadium will host a combined concert of schools feeding into both Westlake High School and Thousand Oaks High School band programs.
Wednesday, May 18 the Newbury Park High School gymnasium will host strings students from the Newbury Park track.
Thursday, May 19 strings students from all over Thousand Oaks will perform together at Redwood Middle School.
Friday, May 20 Westlake area strings students will star in two back-to-back concerts in the Westlake High School gymnasium (5pm and 7pm).
Monday, May 23 kicks off the 3-day chorus festival in the Westlake High School football stadium with chorus students from throughout Westlake Village.
Tuesday, May 24 the Newbury Park students gather in the Westlake High School football stadium.
And finally, Wednesday, May 25, chorus students from throughout Thousand Oaks will come together in the Westlake High School football stadium for the festival finale!
All concerts begin at 7pm (except the first WHS Strings Concert at 5pm). Tickets are $10. These events are open to the whole community. Pre-sale tickets and more information online at www.conejoschools.org.
The Festivals plan to return to the Kavli Theatre in 2023.
